June 4, 2009

The German book publisher, Taschen, was founded in 1980 with the mission of making art books more affordable and lesser-seen art available to mainstream bookstores. Today the company has 9 retail locations that sell their beautifully designed books that capture”beauty, culture, and modernity” in locations ranging from Paris to Cologne to London to New York (S0ho) to Los Angeles (Beverly Hills and at The Grove). With interiors designed by Philippe Stark, their slick stores and exquisite books are truly captivating.

On June 19-21, 2009 the website will be having a warehouse sale with many books reduced 50%-75%.

May 29, 2009

25 year-old French design student, François Mangeol, has created this beautiful carpet which represents the intersection of the Western and Oriental worlds. Using the font Times New Roman, Mangeol follows both a familiar and abstract pattern inspired by Perisan rugs.

April 8, 2009

Created in 2002 by Swiss duo L/B (Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann), Hotel Everland, is both a hotel and a traveling piece of art. The one room hotel originated on Lake Neuchatel (in Switzerland), was transported to the top of the Contemporary Art Museum in Leipzip, and currently has ended its tour on the roof of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. The playful details of the space encourage guests to contribute to the art during their brief one night stay by adding to the room’s vinyl record collection, stealing the golden-embroidered towels (yes this is encouraged), and enjoying their night with the best views of Paris and a fully stocked mini bar (included in the price)! Bonne journee!

March 26, 2009

Since I’ve covered chocolate and cheese I thought it was only appropriate to move on to wine (especially given the weekend is almost here). Although a bit touristy, Le Refuge des Fondues near Montmatre never fails to provide a good time. Located on a small street close to Sacre Coeur the restaurant features large pots of fondue and wine in baby bottles. Apparently the concept evolved as a way to circumvent tax laws on wine in Paris. Patrons pack together on long communal tables to enjoy the fun atmosphere and unusual drinking experience.

March 11, 2009

This weekend I had the pleasure of exploring the Armory Art Show in New York City. Although our current economy has had its effect on the art world, I found the less frenzied pace of the show to be enjoyable. Over the next few days I will posting some of my favorite sightings. Enjoy!

These works are the newest creations of the French duo Kolkoz displayed at the Gallerie Emmanuel Perrotin. The artists chose to focus on the ornate frames typically found surrounding art in museums to create an “escher-style” optical illusion. Picture that?